- Fourth edition to bring together more than 40 global and regional speakers across two days of keynotes, panels, fireside conversations, exhibitions and strategic networking
- The event features 20 exhibiting partners, showcasing the breadth of industry participation and the organisations helping shape the future of financial services
Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain – 1 October 2026: Fintech Forward 2026 has unveiled the agenda for its fourth edition, taking place on 7-8 October 2026 at Exhibition World Bahrain under the theme “Finance in the Age of Intelligent Infrastructure”.
Across two days, the programme will feature keynote sessions, panel discussions, fireside conversations, exhibitions and strategic networking opportunities, exploring how the convergence of technology, infrastructure and regulation is reshaping the financial services landscape. Discussions will span artificial intelligence and its applications in finance, payments, stablecoins, asset tokenisation, open banking, digital identity, fraud prevention, SME finance, digital wealth management, InsurTech and regulatory innovation.
The agenda will feature over 40 regional and global speakers, including H.E. Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy; H.E. Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB); H.E. Khalid Humaidan, Governor, Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB); Sheikh Mohammed bin Saeed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Chairman and Board Member of VIAI; Usman Ahmed, Group CEO, National Bank of Bahrain; Mo Gawdat, internationally recognised AI expert and former Chief Business Officer at Google X; Dr. Reto Cueni, Chief Economist at Syz Group; Jacques BENHAMOU, Chairman of JEMS; Henry Duckworth, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Agridex International; Ali Bailloun, SVP-Group Country Manager, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman, VISA; Jess Houlgrave, Chief Executive Officer of WalletConnect; and Louis Saha, former France international footballer and entrepreneur, alongside leading voices from across the financial services, technology and investment ecosystem.
The forum will also host an exhibition featuring 20 exhibiting partners from across financial services, fintechs, technology and government. The participating organisations will showcase innovative solutions shaping the future of finance, allowing attendees to engage directly with the companies and ideas driving change across the sector. The exhibition will complement the main stage programme, bringing together diverse perspectives from across the financial ecosystem and creating opportunities for meaningful collaboration.
Hosted by the Bahrain EDB, programmed by Forbes Middle East, and supported by the CBB, the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), and Bahrain FinTech Bay, this year’s forum will bring together global thought leaders, policymakers, investors, financial institutions, innovators and technology experts to examine the forces shaping the next phase of financial services.
The forum comes as Bahrain’s financial services sector continues to strengthen its role as a key driver of the national economy, contributing 17.6% of GDP and representing the Kingdom’s largest non-oil sector. With the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), the Kingdom’s sole regulator for financial services, working in close partnership with industry stakeholders, Bahrain continues to cultivate a dynamic financial and technology ecosystem that adapts to and helps shape the future of financial services.
For more information on the agenda or to register, please visit the official Fintech Forward 2026 website.
# ENDS #
For more information, please contact:
Abdulelah Abdulla
Communications Department
Economic Development Board
Phone: +973-39798919
E-mail: internationalmedia@bahrainedb.com
About Fintech Forward
Fintech Forward is Bahrain’s flagship financial services forum, first hosted in 2023 and now in its fourth edition, convening global investors, policymakers, financial institutions, and technology leaders to explore the next phase of financial innovation. Hosted by the Bahrain EDB, supported by CBB, Tamkeen, BTEA and BFB, and backed by key ecosystem partners, the platform brings together international and regional stakeholders to exchange insights, build partnerships, and unlock investment opportunities that are shaping the future of financial services, while connecting global perspectives with regional opportunities.
For more information, visit www.fintechforward.bh.